1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to can crushers; and, more particularly, to an improved can crusher which is electrically operated and capable of crushing commercial beverage cans or the like of all sizes in a quick and efficient manner.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Beverage cans have been a continuing problem in today's ecology minded society. In recent years, it has been proposed to recycle such cans but such recycling requires temporary storage until the cans can be brought to a recycling center. Needless to say, the cans take up quite a bit of storage volume and various can crushing devices have been suggested to reduce can storage volume. Although side can crushing devices are known, cans crushed with devices of this type are dangerous to handle since the side crushing results in exposed sharp edges. Also, such side crushed cans do not store well since the ends are not as compacted as the center.
Vertical crushing is thus more desirable but great pressure is required usually to compress a can vertically. Heretofore, such vertical can compressing devices have been bulky and expensive, such as the crusher of Wharton disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,889,587. In a patent to Belfils, U.S. Pat. No. 4,133,261, a device is disclosed which requires considerable force to crush a can. In Belfils, the crusher has a base on which the can to be crushed is placed and means for crimping one side of the can when pressure is applied to the top of the can is provided. The crimping is accomplished by a bead on the bottom base. Since the crimping means is provided by a bead, cans of varying sizes require different crushing pressures. Since the cans are not restrained in Belfils, they can buckle into a wide variety of shapes and may be forcibly ejected during crushing resulting in injury to the user.
There is thus a need for a can crusher which crushes a can vertically with the required amount of force and is attractive to view the crushing operation but safe from prying fingers.